Take a peek at the quick rundown: TPMS light vs tire pressure light.
They are vital features of any modern car by alerting drivers when the tire pressure is low or about spare tires, but they aren’t identical.
Understanding these distinct points between TPMS vs tire pressure light will help ensure the car tires are properly inflated and hinder many potential risks. Keep reading for what you’re after!
What Is The Difference Between TPMS Light vs Tire Pressure Light?

What is the difference between TPMS and tire light?
The tire pressure light is more specific to inform the low tire pressure. It often informs the higher-potential safety risks specific to poor-inflated tires.
Meanwhile, the TPMS light will be on for both under, and over-inflated tires, but sometimes, not all TPMS signals conclude severe issues.
What Does A Tire Pressure Light Mean?
A tire pressure warning light is activated only when the tire pressure has dropped below a certain level.
It’s momentous as the poor-inflated tires can put the tires’ and rims’ health at risk, rendering the car’s performance terrible.
Here are some reasons for making this light on:
Nail In The Tire
Once the tire gets kicked up with nails, it lets the air out in no time, running a risk to your overall safety. Thus, the light will illuminate to warn you of a sudden tire pressure lowering.
Bent Rims Or Wheels
Low tire pressure would ruin the rim and wheel structure with ease. Your vehicle would suffer terrible damage when a rim or wheel gets bent.
A Tire Inflate Requirement
Low tire current pressures require a refill regularly. Inflating is undoubtedly one of the basic tire pressure light duties.
Temperatures Changes
Significant outdoor temperature changes will typically entail the tires’ air-density status.
Notably, your tires often lose density in a temperature drop or colder months, causing tire deflation. In contrast, scorching days may end up with overinflated tires.
Worn Tires
Tires can wear out over time and can’t retain air as they could. Especially at their lifecycle’s end, they pop up more worn treads and have difficulty leveling air pressure.
Car tires can get involved in multiple problems, like the womp womp noise and bubbles in tires.
Whatever you notice, have the dealership service teams or closest service shops fix all issues as soon as possible.
What Is A TPMS Light Mean?
How about the tire light meaning? The horseshoe-shaped TPMS light is an active system that alerts you of over or under-inflated tires and sends you visual or audible warnings.
Moreover, a poorly-recalibrated TPMS illuminates itself. This light also indicates a dead battery in one of the TPMS sensors.
Sometimes, your tire can drop below the proper inflation long before the TPMS gets on. Still, it’s not always a severe problem when the TPMS light gets on.
For instance, car tires change pressure more abruptly and unevenly while traveling at high elevations.
What To Do When The Low Tire Pressure Light And TPMs Light Comes On?
As for the difference between TPMS and low tire pressure, ways to deal with their problems are not the same accordingly.
Tire Pressure Light
If your tires’ pressure is low, don’t dismiss the warning light. When you see that the caution light has gone on, do the following:
- Pull over immediately if the tire pressure warning light gets on, and check the tire pressure by hand. Portable tire-pressure gauges will be needed for this procedure.
- Check the driver’s door jamb for a tire information sticker or owner’s manual to see if the pressures are within safe limits.
- To ensure you can remedy the problem on the side of the road, if one or more tires require more air, always carry a portable air compressor.
- Inspect each tire for signs of punctures. This holds true for any tire whose pressure is much lower than the rest, especially for the lowest-pressured tire.
- When one or more of the tires leaks air, you can put on the spare, use a plug kit or tire sealant, or call roadside assistance.
- If possible, drive safely to the gas stations with an air pump when you don’t have one on hand, provided that no tire has air pressure more than 25% below the recommended level.
- Keep your tires properly inflated to prevent premature wear and the expense of replacing them.
- You may need to hit the TPMS Reset button after the tires have reached their correct pressure. This button’s position varies by car model.
- Of note, view your tire pressures on the instrument cluster or the infotainment system if you have Direct TPMS. A tire pressure controlling system that includes air pressure sensors in each tire.
TPMs Light
In this case, manually check the tire pressures with a tire gauge and supply air until they reach the proper air pressure.
Learn about the basics of tire pressure and how to check tire pressure and deal with normal tire pressure loss in the owner’s manual or the driver’s door jamb.
Once you’ve verified that all the tire pressure is adequate, get back on the road.
Most TPMS sensors need replacing after 7–10 years or whenever their battery dies.
Overall, most aftermarket tire pressure sensors are pretty cheap and practical. Reprogram the sensor replacement after mounting.
If the TPMS indicator light is on for a faulty gauge or improper gauge pressure, check and alter it if needed. Once something goes wrong with the TPMS computer, inspect the wire as well.
On top of that, even when your tires have TPMS, have the service technicians or certified mechanics examine your tires once a month or DIY before hauling extra weight or going a lengthy journey.
Why Is My TPMS Light On, But The Tires Are Fine?
It’s a typical mystery why the TPMS warning light stays on even when the tires have the proper pressure.
To explain, this tire pressure indicator might display a systemic issue that can endanger your overall safety rather than a tire-specific one, as stated.
What’s more, a TPMS light can be on when it malfunctions itself or due to the sensor’s dead batteries or a damaged pressure sensor.
Thus, don’t count on the system to warn you of a dangerously low tire pressure scenario only.
Check the entire wheel, rear wheels, error codes, and TPMS light itself until you rectify the reasons for activating the TPMS system light.
Can Your TPMS Replace A Typical Tire Pressure Inspect?
No! A TPMS warning light can’t replace tire pressure check rituals. Here are why:
- The TPMS sensor(s) may not correctly transmit tire pressure data to the onboard computer.
- The TPMS light can be on with the current tire pressure lower or higher than the requirements for the vehicle load.
- The system may not illuminate when all tires simultaneously lose pressure at the same rate.
- The TPMS does not just focus on the particular tire pressure only. It sometimes hints at further safety risks or engine damage directly involved in the whole wheel system.
Wrapping Up
After the comparison of the dashboard alert light: TPMS light vs tire pressure light, many vehicle owners may no longer get confused about their differences.
Be aware of what triggers the over- and under-inflated tires and these two lights’ operation! From there, you’ll carry out accurate measures to ensure the car’s safety well.
Let off all the potential risks related to a drop in air pressure.
More than that, it makes sense if you share such a good read with other car owners!